1. Field
This invention relates to improved methods and processes for dynamic display of three-dimensional (3D) covariance information.
2. Description of Related Art
Three dimensional (3D) processing may involve estimation of errors associated with such processing in the form of three-dimensional error covariance (a 3×3 covariance matrix). In related art embodiments, such information may be quantified via reduction to two values for the entire data set. These two values may be, for example, circular error, 90-percent probable (CE90) and linear error, 90-percent probable (LE90). While such a reduction is useful for a “ballpark” estimate of accuracy, it does not preserve the full rigorous error. Furthermore, it is not a useful way of capturing the error on a per-point basis in a 3D data set, since only two values are typically specified for the entire data set.
Examples in which such 3D error characterizations are important include digital elevation models (DEM), stereo image coordinates for targeting, laser detection and ranging (LADAR) data sets, and point clouds generated from multiple electro-optical (EO) images. Each of these 3D data sets has the potential for capturing a full 3×3 error covariance at every 3D point. Such error covariances are often referred to as “geopositioning error” or “geopositioning accuracy”.